In recent years, there have been significant advances in binding line technology that have greatly enhanced their efficiency. It is now known, for instance, that nearly all aspects of operating a binding line can be highly automated in an advantageous manner to thereby lower costs and increase speed of production. Still additionally, binding lines are now known to offer a degree of flexibility that was heretofore unknown.
By way of example, the signatures can be selectively gathered to accomplish the objective of demographic editions. In other words, it is possible with modern technology to be able to create various editions of a book or magazine that differ one from the other so each is more specifically directed to the special interests of different groups of readers. Today, many publications are created in this manner, and the subscribers are therefore receiving a more satisfying product.
On another front, binding lines are now able to offer their customers the possibility of personalized books or magazines. This is accomplished by being able to print personalized messages, including the subscriber's name and other relevant information, on internal signatures as well as on the cover. Still further, the book or magazine may incorporate a sheet or card that contains a message of interest to the subscriber.
In addition to the foregoing, binding lines are now sufficiently sophisticated to achieve discounts in postage rates. This is accomplished by gathering books or magazines in a specific fashion, e.g., by carrier route, and then bundling the magazines according to town sort and/or carrier route which thereby qualifies the bundle for a postage savings. For this purpose, a book mail bundle which is accumulated by town sort and/or carrier route is typically shrink wrapped and then palletized.
In most cases, the shrink wrapped bundles are stacked on the pallet for shipment in such a manner that they have their backbones down. This is conventionally done by binding line personnel who receive the shrink wrapped bundles at the end of the line and place them onto the pallets. Obviously, if this last-mentioned process could be automated, it would further enhance the efficiencies in binding line operations.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the foregoing problems and achieving one or more of the resulting objects.